1. Protest loudly and involve local media.
2. Involve your local county and state officials. Lobby your representative and senator to support annexation laws that require a vote of the people being annexed and people living in the city annexing. This will also benefit city residents and hold the city accountable for good management. Use the Members’ Area to email legislators across the State and tell your neighbors to do the same.
3. Partner with your local emergency services people to become familiar with response times and compare to city’s ability to respond comparably.
4. Consult an attorney to follow the process.
5. Develop a quick communication system via e-mail, etc. to notify people at a moment’s notice.
6. Argue with facts and figures, not hostile emotions.
7. Involve the residents of the city in lobbying the council to stop this course of action.
8. Meet with different council members in small groups to share your concerns.
9. Stay in touch with other residents across the state through this website, it’s Forum and it’s Members’ Area so we can lobby as a statewide citizens group in legislature, demanding protection from unfair annexation laws.
10. Do not stop fighting! Stay in the fight until the end.

1. John Ahmann and Marc Wisniewski had a useful exchange in which they determined that, when looking at annexing only the northern areas (erroneously called “commercial only”), if the number of incoming students is or becomes between 200-250, annexing those areas is a net loss financially.

As an estimate, if those areas had or came to have an equal percentage of students as the current city, those areas would bring in 530 students at 15%. The tipping point is roughly 6-7.2%. In other words, if the percentage of students per capita in those areas is even half of the rest of city, annexation is a net loss financially.

It is worth noting that Bernadette Seals suggested that the multi-family units in those areas will attract some new number of children. If so, such a transition in rental units can happen far more quickly than in owned properties. It also wouldn’t be surprising if the pattern of new development along DeKalb Industrial in recent years continued and we saw more multi-family unit complexes built there.

2. The superintendent and the school board did an admirable job last night. The discussion was serious and thoughtful. A major hats off to them. (And their staff too!)

I have also heard Mayor Floyd say at more than one meeting that the Commission will not go forward with the annexation if CSD does not support it. I believe that Commissioner Baskett has said the same thing. I’d have to review video/tapes to find any of his comments though.

I think it is a stretch to say that CSD supports even commercial (the vote was tied with commentary from the abstaining member indicating that she would vote against it) – so the Commission does not have support for even annexing areas 1through 3 – they only have a tie vote on that. However, if the Commission moves forward with anything more than parcels 1-3, their word on this issue – or at least Mayor Floyd’s word.. is not to be relied upon.

It will be interesting to see if they are true to their promises. I would encourage everyone with an interest in this issue to come as a witness on December 15.